English & Drama Teacher, Global Educator

Stuart Piper, Teacher

Passionate about the education of our future generations.

Following a long and varied career in the Creative Arts Industries (including 20 years as a part-time extra curricular Drama Teacher & Youth Theatre Director), I returned to Education in 2021, to retrain mid-career to become a full time, fully qualified English Literature and Language Teacher via a PGCE with QTS from the University of York, having received an English Literature degree with First-Class Honours from York St John University (as well as obtaining CELTA TEFL certification) where I was the recipient of the 2024 English Literature Undergraduate Dissertation Prize, awarded to the highest-marked dissertation. In 2024, I also passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test JLPT N5, after a year of self-study part-time, having never studied a language previously, and unexpectedly falling in love with language learning.

I take the Introduction to Diploma Programme (DP) Course from the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) online this Nov-Dec 2024 in preparation to additionally teach IB English A and B, Literature and Performance and Theatre Arts subjects. I also have an ambition to teach the IB’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK) mobule in time as an additional subject, and am pursuing Philosophy-related Masters in preparation for this.

I am currently on placement teaching English at Archbishop Holgate’s School, York via Pathfinder, while teaching Drama in-person across Yorkshire, and online internationally.

Educational Philosophy

A passionate educator, I undertook mid-career training to become a fully qualified English & Drama Teacher, to teach full time in Secondary Schools.

I teach English Language and Literature and Drama on the UK curriculum, and additionally teach English A and B, Literature and Performance and Theatre Arts subjects on the International Baccalaureate programme. I also have an ambition to teach the IB’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK) mobule in time as an additional subject, and am pursuing Philosophy-related Masters in preparation for this.

As a father, and a life-long learner myself, I am dedicated to helping inspire all students to reach their full potential, am committed to making a meaningful impact on each & every child I teach, and (to quote the IB learner profile) to help develop learners that respect themselves, others and the world around them.

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

IB learners strive to become “inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. These attributes represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond intellectual development and academic success”

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

My PGCE trains me in British UK Curriculum studying all exam boards including AQA, Edexcel/Pearson, WJEC and Cambridge. I am a keen user of EdTech, with Apple Teacher status, and have good understanding of IT including AI-proficiency.

Passion for my core subjects

I have spent a life immersed in language and literature, in theatre and film, and in creative and performance art making, and I believe passionately in the power of storytelling: to provide new perspectives, open hearts and minds, and ultimately help influence humanity’s course for the better.

An avid reader, I read 100 books a year during my English Literature undergraduate degree at York St John University, and feel extremely grateful for the privilege of studying my specialist subject of English at the University of York, as part of my PGCE, with such inspirational educators.

I’m also fascinated by language learning, valuing every minute of training for my CELTA qualifcation which I obtained this year (TESOL/TEFL). To better understand student experience in learning English from an opposite perspective, I spent a year self-studying beginner’s Japanese towards JLPT N5 level, and discovered a new favourite hobby (language learning). I am committed to keep learning new languages, one of the key reasons I am interested in working abroad.

My long and varied career in the Creative Arts industries fostered a passion for and deep interest in literature, language and all creative and performing arts. I hope to be able to pass on my enthusiasm and learnings to help inspire the students I teach.

12 Attitudes from the IB Learner Profile: Appreciation, Commitment, Creativity, Confidence, Curiosity, Cooperation, Empathy, Enthusiasm, Independence, Integrity, Respect, and Tolerance

I connect deeply with the IB’s concern with environmental sustainability, inclusion and diversity in education, encouragement of multilingual studies, technological innovation, equality for global citizens and fostering tolerance for peace and harmony.